Book stand

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a horizontally disposed rectangular base that is supported above ones lap by means of a rectangular supporting wing that is hingedly secured to the underside of each longitudinal edge of the base. A pantograph type support is swingably secured for vertical adjustment to the upper longitudinal edge of the aforesaid rectangular base. A rectangular book rest is swingably secured between and to the upper point of the two already-mentioned pantograph type supports. The book rest is provided with structure adapted to hold the book or the like in place on the said rest in any desired position for easy reading.

United States Patent 1 1 Mulvaney 1 1 May 28, 1974 1 BOOK STAND 221Filed: May 8,1972

21 App]. No.: 251,445

[52] US. Cl. 248/452, 248/464 [51] Int. Cl A47b 23/00 [58] Field ofSearch 248/421, 444, 441, 456, 248/464 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 733,100 7/1903 Werner i 248/456 1,754,974 4/1930 Warfield248/421 X 1,851,178 3/1932 l-lebig 1 1 248/421 X 2,271,294 1/1942 Ford243/444 3,652,051 3/1972 McFarlane 248/464 X FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS 83,380 11/1955 Denmark 248/188.2

Primary Examinerwilliam H. Schultz [57] ABSTRACT This invention consistsof a horizontally disposed rectangular base that is supported above oneslap by means of a rectangular supporting wing that is hingedly securedto the underside of each longitudinal edge of the base. A pantographtype support is swingably secured for vertical adjustment to the upperlongitudinal edge of the aforesaid rectangular base. A rectangular bookrest is swingably secured between and to the upper point of the twoalready-mentioned pantograph type supports. The book rest is providedwith structure adapted to hold the bookor the like in place on the saidrest in any desired position for easy reading.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures BOOK STAND This invention relates to bookstands; more particularly, to book stands adapted for use by a personreclining on a bed or sitting in a chair; still more particularly, to abook stand that straddles the body of the person using the stand.

While there are any number of different kinds of book standscommercially available, none so far as is known are completelyadjustable while still not depending on a pedestal that can be knockedover, or resting on the body of the person using the same.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a bookstand, which I personally call a reading stand, that is not only fullyadjustable but also straddles the body of the person using the stand andis therefore stable and will not let the book or papers fall off thestand.

Another object of this invention is to provide a book stand of thecharacter described that permits the stand to be fully adjustable sothat the reading matter placed on the stand will be at the desired eyelevel for easy reading with little or no strain on the eyes fromimproper placement of the book or the like before the eyes.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a book stand thatis light in weight, stable when in use, and one that can quickly andeasily be folded into a compact unit that takes up a minimum of spacewhen not in actual use.

Other and further objects and advantages of this novel invention will nodoubt appear to those experienced in the art upon the reading of thisspecification and its appended claims and the examination of theaccompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIG. I is a pictorial view of this invention ready for use.

FIG. 2 is a side view of this invention folded and ready for storage.

In the two views of this invention in the accompanying drawing, likeparts of the book stand are indicated by like reference numbers. Thereference number 5 indicates this invention in its entirety.

Directing ones attention first to FIG. 1 of the drawing it will be seenthat this book stand 5 consists of a flat, rectangular, and horizontallydisposed base 6 having a large U-shaped recess 7 in one end thereof, andan elongated laterally disposed opening 8 in the other end. Thisjust-mentioned opening 8 provides a means of picking up and carryingthis invention from place to place. An angle iron 9 is located on eachlongitudinal side of the aforesaid base 6 for the purpose of providingboth support and securement for the lower legs 10 and 11 of thepantograph type support 12 of this invention. These aforesaid legs arealso sometimes called lazy tongs. A metal rod 13 extends between oneendof the aforesaid angle irons 9 and in fact has its ends projectingthrough both the just-mentioned angle irons and the lower end of thelegs 11 of the aforesaid pantograph type support 12. Examination of FIG.1 of the drawing clearly shows that this invention is provided with twoof the supports I2, one on each side of the device. A laterally disposedrod 14 is integrally formed with the lower end of each of the two lowerlegs I0 of the pantograph type supports 12. The ends of the rod I4 areplaced in any of the angularly disposed recesses 15 that are located inthe vertical legs 16 of the angle irons 9, as one can see by examinationof the alreadymentioned FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawing.

Continuing to look at FIG. 1 of the drawing it will be seen that arectangular supporting wing 17 is hingedly secured to the underside ofeach longitudinal edge of the aforesaid flat base 6, thereby providing asupport of the often-mentioned flat base 6 of this invention above thelap of the user of this book stand. One of the bars 18 of the aforesaidpantograph type support 9 is in the form of an angleiron for reasons ofrigidity and stability of the device. The uppermost point of eachaforesaid pantograph type support 9 provides swingable support for thebook rest 19. This book rest is a rectangular member having an elongatedopening 20 in the upper portion thereof and a laterally disposed angleiron 21 on the lower edge thereof for the resting and stop of the bottomof the book 22 or whatever other reading matter that may be placed onthis invention. Two L-shaped page holders 23 are swingably secured tothe legs 24 of the angle iron 21 while two other page holders 25 arealso swingably secured to angle irons 26 that are suitably connected tothe same screw that passes through the previously mentioned uppermostpoint of the two pantograph type supports 9. Wing nuts 27 on the outerend of each just-mentioned screw provide a means of firmly holding theaforesaid book rest 19 since one end of each screw is suitably securedto one side of the book rest 19 although this portion of the inventionis not shown in detail in the drawing since this form of construction iswell known in the art for it can also be found on other devices. Noclaim for this detail is therefore made in this specification.

It is obvious from examination of the alreadymentioned FIG. 1 of thedrawing how this invention is used and for this reason no descriptionneed be given in this specification.

This invention is subject to any and all changes in detail design and ormodifications that one may care to make in so long as the changes and ormodifications all fall within the scope and intent of the appendedclaims. The invention can be made of any desired material and orcombinations of materials.

What I now claim as new is:

1. A book stand of the character described, comprising a horizontallydisposed rectangular base having two folding pantograph supportspositioned one each along the longitudinal edges thereof, the legs ofsaid support each being integrally connected at the lower ends thereofby laterally disposed horizontal rods, one of said rods so connectingthe lower pantograph legs being swingingly connected at opposite cornersof said base, and the other so connecting the lower pantograph legs isfree to be disposed at various longitudinal positions on the rectangularbase through pantograph action by the manual operation of the uppermostcorresponding legs of said pantograph, and so firmly adjusting theheight of a rectangular book rest which is swingingly secured throughits lateral axis to the uppermost points of the respective pantographsupports, said rectangular base being provided with a rectangularlaterally disposed opening having rounded ends in the portion of saidbase furthermost from the user or rear thereof for handling or carryingthe book stand when it is not in reading use; and an angle iron fastenedon the upper side of each longitudinally disposed edge of saidrectangular base for holding the two pantograph type supports, withspaced recesses in the upstanding edge of said angle irons forpositioning longitudinally the lower legs of the pantograph supportswhich are connected by the other of said rods, said book rest being aplanar member having a normally extending shelf at its lower edge andprovided with a plurality of page holders, two of which are swinginglyconnected to the shelf and two page holders which are each swinginglyconnected to small clip angle irons which in turn are swinginglyconnected to screws that pass through the respective uppermost points ofthe two pantograph supports, these latter page holders being adjustableby rotation parallel to the surface of the book rest to contact anydesired place on the book page, and also by rotation perpendicularly ornormal to the surface of the book rest to adjust for books of varyingthicknesses.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said base is provided with a pair ofrectangular supporting wings, which are hingedly secured to theunderside of respective opposite longitudinal edges of said base,thereby when extended holding the base above the lap or body of the use;said supporting wings being so hinged and stopped as to be firm in theextended position inclined to provide a base at the points of support ona chair or bed, wider than the upper hinged width, whereby eachsupporting wing provides lateral thrust against the other supportingwing giving greater lateral stability to the invention; each supportingwing having laterally disposed openings with rounded ends that, when thewings are folded under the base, are positioned opposite the opening insaid base for conveniently holding and carrying the book stand.

1. A book stand of the character described, comprising a horizontallydisposed rectangular base having two folding pantograph supportspositioned one each along the longitudinal edges thereof, the legs ofsaid support each being integrally connected at the lower ends thereofby laterally disposed horizontal rods, one of said rods so connectingthe lower pantograph legs being swingingly connected at opposite cornersof said base, and the other so connecting the lower pantograph legs isfree to be disposed at various longitudinal positions on the rectangularbase through pantograph action by the manual operation of the uppermostcorresponding legs of said pantograph, and so firmly adjusting theheight of a rectangular book rest which is swingingly secured throughits lateral axis to the uppermost points of the respective pantographsupports, said rectangular base being provided with a rectangularlaterally disposed opening having rounded ends in the portion of saidbase furthermost from the user or rear thereof for handling or carryingthe book stand when it is not in reading use; and an angle iron fastenedon the upper side of each longitudinally disposed edge of saidrectangular base for holding the two pantograph type supports, withspaced recesses in the upstanding edge of said angle irons forpositioning longitudinally the lower legS of the pantograph supportswhich are connected by the other of said rods, said book rest being aplanar member having a normally extending shelf at its lower edge andprovided with a plurality of page holders, two of which are swinginglyconnected to the shelf and two page holders which are each swinginglyconnected to small clip angle irons which in turn are swinginglyconnected to screws that pass through the respective uppermost points ofthe two pantograph supports, these latter page holders being adjustableby rotation parallel to the surface of the book rest to contact anydesired place on the book page, and also by rotation perpendicularly ornormal to the surface of the book rest to adjust for books of varyingthicknesses.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said base is providedwith a pair of rectangular supporting wings, which are hingedly securedto the underside of respective opposite longitudinal edges of said base,thereby when extended holding the base above the lap or body of the use;said supporting wings being so hinged and stopped as to be firm in theextended position inclined to provide a base at the points of support ona chair or bed, wider than the upper hinged width, whereby eachsupporting wing provides lateral thrust against the other supportingwing giving greater lateral stability to the invention; each supportingwing having laterally disposed openings with rounded ends that, when thewings are folded under the base, are positioned opposite the opening insaid base for conveniently holding and carrying the book stand.